Razor-blade stropper



Jan. 17, 1928. 1,656,276

J. H. GRAYSON.

RAZOR BLADE STROPPER Filed Dec. 5. 1926 Patented Jan. 17, 1928.

UNITED ems PATENT ems.

JOHN H. GRAYSON, orcorumnus; oHIo. Assienon ro RAYMOND N. BAUCH, or co.

LUMIBU S, OHIO, AND FRANK X; BAUGH AND F. D. FOBSYTH, I BO'IH OF ATHENS, OHIO.

nsane-BLADE srnorrnn.

This invention relates to improvements in safety razor blade strop ersl The principal objects 0 a the present invention are: e 1 p First, to provide a stropper for safety razor blades, particularly the double edged type, comprising a holder in which the blade in either one. of two positions of, the holder isheld positively in a certain position when stroked on the strop and a predetermined cutting angle is maintained. 1

Second, to provide the blade holder with a single roller for determining the angle at which the blade is held, which rolls on the strop instead of rubbing, only the hardened blade edge being allowed to rub on the leather strop. so that. there is no deposit of .minute nickel flakes embedded in the strop aswas the case in the use of other types of razor bladestroppers with which I am familiar.

impossible to secure a fine, keen edge onthe blades. 1

Third, to provide a blade holder of novel construction afiording quick action in the matter of placing the blades therein or re moving. the same therefrom and alsoin re versing the blade to bring the both edges of a double edged blade into stropping position or in bringing. a singleedged blade ofthe Gem type from the position in which it is placed in the holder to. its stropping position. i

The invention. embraces still further" objects and advantages to be referred to at greater length in the course of thegfollowmg detailed description having reference .to

two forms of stroppers embodying my invention. The description-has reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 side view of a stropper em- The presence of the metallic flakes in the strop in such cases made it related to 3 showing the holder in closed position with a blade held therein;

F 1g. 5 is a perspective view of parts of the blade holder shown in disassembled re lation to better show the construction thereof; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are views corresponding in F igs. 1 and 2 of a stropper designed for use with a single edged blade of the Gem type. merals areapplied to corresponding parts throughout the views. v

The stropper comprises a blade holder 10 forming part of a frame carried by a handle 11., The holder 10 comprises two narrow strips 12 and 13 hingedly connected at one'end, as indicated at 14, whereby the strip 1.3 may be opened out, as indicated in Fig. 2, to receive a safety razor blade 15. Studs 16 are provided on the strip 12 to be received in openings in the blade 15 and also in openings 17 in the strip 13 when the holder is closed on the blade, as shown in Fig. l. The strip 12 is mounted on the end of a rod 18 extending through the bore 19 of a ferrule 20 and through ahole 21 extending centrally through the handle 11. Theferrule- 20 base drive fit in a counter bore 22 in the end of the handle 11 so as to form arigid part of the handle. The rod 18-extends beyond the end of the handle 11, as shown at 23 inFig. 1, to serve as a button to be pressed by the thumb to move the rod 18 lengthwise with respect to the handle 11 to bring the holder 12to the open position shown in Fig. 3'. The annular groove 2d provided on the. handle 11 serves to receive the first two fingers when pressure is appliedbythe thumb to the end 23 of the rod 18. The ferrule 20 is slotted dia" metrically of the outer. end thereof, as shownat 25-, to provide recesses for the reception of the ends ofthe strips 12 and 13 when the holder 10is closed, as shown in Fig. 4. Theends of the strips 12 and 13 ot the holder 10: are normally engaged in the slots25 under the action of a pair of sirin arms- 26 and 27. The former receives a pin 28 protruding from the end. of

The same or similar reference nupin 30 and has a head portion 33 mounted on the ferrule 20. The head 33 is stamped to provide a flanged hub 34 bearing behind an annular flange 35 provided on the end of the ferrule 20. The hub port-ion 34 of the head 33ris also slotted diametrically, as indicated at 36, to receive the ends of the strips 12 and 13 of the holder 10 substantially as shown in Fig. 4.

In operation, when a blade is to be placed in the holder, the projecting end 23 of the rod .18 is pressed in, as described above, against the action of the spring arms 26 and 27. This withdraws the ends of the strips 12 and 13 from the slots 25 and 36, as shown in Fig. 3, sufliciently to permit the strip 13 to be opened out to place a blade in the holder or remove one therefrom. As soon as the blade is positioned on the studs 16, the holder is closed and thumb pressure is released from the end 23 of the rod 18 to permit the ends of the strips 12 and 13 to return into the slots 25 and 26, as seen in Fig. 4. The spring arms 26 and 27 accomplish this movement of the holder with the rod 18 and serve normally to retain the parts in this position. It Wlll be observed that the double edged blade 15 has one of its edges in position for stropping. In Fig. 2, a strop 37 is indicated in dotted lines and it will be noted that the roller 31 serves to hold the blade at a predetermined angle with respect to the strop. The proper cutting angle is, therefore, maintained when the blade is stroked across the strop in the direction indicated by the arrow. In this movement of the stropper nothing but the edge of the hardened blade is permitted to rub on the leather strop; the roller 31 rolls on the strop instead of rubbing. The fact that the holder 10 is so narrow and grips the blade lengthwise of the middle thereof avoids any possibility of a part of the holder rubbing on the strop. In other stroppers. with which I am familiar, a deposit of minute flakes of nickel or other metal was caused to be embedded in the strop. The presence of these metallic flakes madeitim possible to secure a fine, keen edge on the blade. 'At the end of each stroke the stropper is turned about on the roller for the return stroke, the roller 31 always preceding the blade and gauging the angle at which the same is held as it is stroked across the strop. After the first edge is stropped sufficiently, the spring arm 27 is pulled over to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 to release the ends of the holder strips 12 and 13 from engagement in the slots 36 so that the holder may be turned with the handle through 180 to reverse the blade. The holder may be turned with the handle relative to the arms 26 and 27 due to the fact that the ends of the holder strips remain engaged in the slots 25 of the ferrule 20 which, as stated before, is rigid with the handle. The slots 36 thus serve as a clutch inholding the roller 31 in either of two operative positions with respect to the holder and the blade therein. In either of these positions the blade, as shown in Fig. 2, is held in a plane passing throu h the axis of the roller 31. After both e( ges of the blade have been stropped, the blade may be removed by simply pressing in the projecting end 23 of the rod 18 as before.

In the slightly modified form of stropper shown in Figs. 6 and 7 which is designed for use with single edged blades of the Gem type such as that shown at 15, all of the features hereinabove referred to are incorporated with the exception of the studs 16 and the opening 17 therefor provided in the holder 10. This is because blades of the Gem type have no openings therein but are provided with a heel portion 38 by means of which they are usually handled. I provide the holder 10 of two strips 12 and 13' having struck out portions 39 along the edges thereof on one side of the holder so as to provide between the same a recess in which the heel portion 38 of the blade may be received. In placing the blade in the holder, the cutting edge will be turned toward the roller 31, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6, the heel portion 38 providing a place for finger pressure to properly line up the blade in the holder with the cutting edge substantially parallel with the roller.

If it is desired, a blade after the same has been stropped may be left in the holder in this position. After the blade is properly entered in the holder, the holder is reversed similarly as with the other type of stropper to bring the edge of the blade into stropping position. 'In this case, as in the other case, it will be observed that there is nothing but the edge of the hardened blade allowed to rub on the leather strop. The roller 31 rolls on the strop and maintains the blade at the proper angle for strapping. The advantages of the type of stropper first above described are secured to the same degree in this modified or alternative type. I

It is believed that the foregoing descrip tion conveys a clear understanding of my invention so that anyone skilled in this art will readily appreciate the many advantages and improvements offered by the present invention over what has been available heretofore. At the same time, it is believed to be clear that the invention is capable of embodiment in still other ways than shown by the two forms herein illustrated; All such modifications of the invention as come within the spirit and scope thereof it is the intention to cover in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a safety razor blade stropper, a handled frame, a single cylindrical roller IOU ill

inthe operation of said: stroppena holder for a blade in saidframe alongside;of and spaced from said roller, sa-id lidderbeing relatively narrowand extendinglengthwise,

of the middle of the blade so as to be spaced appreciably from the sharp edge thereof, said holder being reversible by rotation on an axis parallel to the axis of the roller to bring the blade edge to be sharpened to that side of the holder away from the roller for sharpening, the roller being of such size that when rested on the strop only the blade edge to be sharpened can be brought into engagement with the strop, the holder being kept out of contact with the strop so as not to rub thereon in the stropping operation.

2. In a structure as set forth inclaim 1, wherein the blade in either of its reversed positions is held in a plane passing through the axis of said roller so that-the same cutting angle is maintained in stroking in either direction with the stropper.

3. In a stropper of the character described, a handled frame, a single cylindrical roller mounted in said frame slightly offset from but parallel with saidhandle, a blade holder in said frame disposed in spaced parallel relation to said roller approximately in line with said handle, said holder being reversible by rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of said roller to bring either edge of a double edged blade to that side of the holder away from theroller into stropping position or to bring the edge of asingle edged blade into a similar position, and means at the end of said-handle adjacent the end of saidholder for holding the same in either of its reversed positions so that the plane of the blade held in the holder passes through the axis of the roller.

4. In a structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein the holder is provided with means for holding the same closed on a blade therein, and wherein the means for holding the blade holder in either of its reversed positions is independent of the means for keeping the holder closed whereby the holder may be reversed in its position without ,releasing the blade therefrom. I j

5. In a blade stropping device of the character described, a handle, a blade holder having a part extending lengthwise through said handle for mounting the holder thereon, said part being arranged to project from the end of said handle whereby the holder may be moved lengthwise with respect to said handle, spring means normally urging said holder to a retracted position comprising a spring arm bearing against the'outer end of said blade holder to urge the same normally lengthwise toward the handle, said arm forming part of a frame carried by said handle having a roller mounted therein with its axis parallel to the blade holderserving to gauge the stropping- =angle xlior the blade-received said holder, saidholtler having a part arranged to be opened! to re mitthe insertion of a blaule in saidhol er,

and a part provided on said I handle provid ing jaws for the reception of said holder in:

its retracted position arranged to keep the holder closed.

6. In a' structure as set forth in claim 5,

wherein the spring arm has a pin mounted on the free end thereof in parallel relation to the blade holder having a gaugingroller mounted thereon, a second s ring arm extending between the other en of said blade holder and the opposite end of said pin.

7. In a structure as set forth in claim 5, wherein the spring arm has a pin mounted on the free end thereofin parallel relation to the blade holder having a gauging roller mounted thereon, a second spring arm extending between the other end of said blade holder and the opposite end of said in, said last mentioned arm having means or holding the same rigidly in either one of two positions with respect to said handle for determining either of two operative positions of said holder with respect to the gauging roller.

8. In a blade stroppin device of the character described, a ban 1e, a blade holder mounted thereon, and a frame also carried by said handle and supporting a gau ing roller in parallel relation to said ,b ade holder, said frame having a part arranged to be locked in either one of two positions with respect to said handle for determining either of two operative positions of said roller with respect to said blade holder.

9. In a structure as set forth in claim 8, wherein the part of said frame for determining the operative positions of said roller with respect to said blade holder comprises a spring arm arrangedto be flexed to release the same from either of-its locked positions to permit rotation of the blade holder with respect to the roller to its other operative position, a part carried by said handle providing clutch jaws for holding said blade holder closed,a gauging roller in parallel relation-to said blade holder, and a frame carried by said handle having said roller mounted therein, said frame comprising a spring arm having clutch jaws thereon also arranged to receive a, part of the blade to said handle to bri the roller toeither holderwhereby to hold said roller in preside of said holder, ti e clntching jaws' of determined operative position with respect said s ring arm serving toretain the frame 10 to said holder. I in eit er of its adjusted positions.

- 11; In a structure as set forth in claim In ,witness of the foregoing I afiix my 10, wherein said roller-carrying frame is signature. 7

mountedfor pivotal movement with respect JOHN GRAYSON. 

